Boston Celtics earn fans' anger

Celtics forward Kevin Garnett, right, battles for a rebound with the Bucks' Ersan Ilyasova in the first quarter.

Even though the Celtics got embarrassed in their home finale last season, 98-79, by Miami in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals, the never-say-die Garden crowd saluted the Green in the closing minutes by chanting, “Let's go, Celtics!”

Before last night's home opener, Boston coach Doc Rivers called it the second-most memorable crowd reaction of his career, trailing only the clinching game of the 2008 NBA Finals.

In the Celtics' home opener last night, the Garden crowd wasn't quite as understanding. The sellout crowd booed Boston several times during an uninspired, 99-88 loss to Milwaukee.

There was a smattering of boos when Brandon Jennings dunked after a Brandon Bass turnover to cap a 24-6 stretch that gave Milwaukee a 42-24 lead late in the first half.

The boos grew louder after Monta Ellis turned a Courtney Lee turnover into a fast-break layup to put the Bucks on top, 66-46, in the third. The mood didn't improve when Tobias Harris scored on the break after a Jason Terry turnover gave the Bucks their largest lead, 70-48, late in the third.

“We got a lot of new people,” said Terry, one of nine new Celtics this season, “a lot of guys trying to get adjusted, trying to feel comfortable and familiar with each other. It's going to take a while, but to get outworked is definitely unacceptable.”

The Celtics hadn't lost a home opener since the Hornets beat them, 91-87, on Nov. 1, 2006, the year before Kevin Garnett came to Boston. Last night was only the fifth home opener the Celtics have lost by double digits, and the first since 1999.

Jennings totally outplayed Rajon Rondo. Jennings had 21 points, 13 assists and 6 steals while Rondo finished with 14 points, 11 assists and 3 steals. Rondo did, however, extend his double-digit assists streak to 26 games, the longest in the NBA since Utah's John Stockton went 29 games in a row in 1992.

Paul Pierce got into early foul trouble, finished with more turnovers (four) than baskets (three), and scored just 11 points.

“It was tough,” Pierce said of his foul trouble. “It kind of threw me out of rhythm. I was able to sub early and then come back into the second quarter, but even when that happens, we've got to have guys ready to step up. But it really wasn't about me, it was about the way our team played, which was disappointing on offense and on defense.”

Things grew so bad in the third quarter that Rivers admitted he stopped worrying about the score and just tried to coach his team to run the proper plays.

“I was, in timeouts, saying, 'three passes,' which I haven't had to say in five years probably,” Rivers said.

Kevin Garnett scored 15 points but grabbed only 4 rebounds. Milwaukee outrebounded Boston, 46-36. Garnett tied Otis Thorpe for 19th in games played on the all-time NBA list with 1,257. Celtics all-time leading scorer John Havlicek is 18th with 1,270.

Terry, expected to replace Ray Allen as the Celtics' top 3-point threat, scored all 10 of his points in the fourth after the outcome had been decided.

Harris scored 18 points and Ellis had 14 for Milwaukee, which snapped a six-game skid against Boston.

The Celtics, who allowed 120 points in their opener at Miami against a Heat team that got blown out last night in New York, have had trouble adjusting to the defensive changes Rivers made this season.

“Even though we have made some changes,” Pierce said, “we have to do them and we have to do them the right way. We have to do it together. Our defense is really about effort and communication and tonight we just didn't have either one of them.”

This 0-2 start may be shocking, but it's too early to panic The Celtics started last season 0-3 and 4-8, but reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.